


Be(a)st Christmas ever

by yogini



Series: Christmas fluff Camelot style [18]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Cold Weather, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cute, Ficlet, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Huddling For Warmth, Kindness, Love, M/M, Pets, Pre-Slash, Protectiveness, Sharing a Bed, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Winter, wolf - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2014-12-18
Packaged: 2018-03-02 20:18:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2824877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yogini/pseuds/yogini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin’s such a soft-hearted idiot… and Arthur can’t help but loving him for it…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Be(a)st Christmas ever

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or any of the characters in the series, I'm just borrowing them from their respective owners to play with a little and I promise to give them back when I'm done. No copyright infringement is intended and I don't make any money from writing fanfiction.

“But Arthur” Merlin pleaded. “We can’t just leave him out here in the cold.”

“It’s a wolf, _Merlin_ , it’s supposed to be out here” Arthur answered, fed up with the discussion. If it wasn’t for his stubborn manservant they’d all be well on their way back to the castle and the festive dinner by now.

“He’s just a small cub, Arthur, and he’s freezing.” Merlin indicated the small shivering form in his arms. “We’ve looked everywhere for his parents, if we don’t take him in he’ll die out here, all alone.” Realizing that Merlin wasn’t going to give up any time soon Arthur did the only rational thing and admitted defeat before they all died from cold.

“Very well, but I’ll throw you in the dungeons the very second that he eats one of my hunting dogs” he growled and Merlin beamed at him.

“Thank you” he chirped happily before pulling the wolf tighter to his chest and wrapping his cloak around them both. “Did you hear that?” he asked the cub, nuzzling the soft fur on its head. “You’re coming with us.”

“Let’s get going then” Arthur said, turning on his heel and setting off at a brisk pace, leaving the others scrambling to keep up with him

 

They were only half-way home and Arthur sighed impatiently as Merlin was already far behind the rest of them. Seeing the manservant stubbornly tagging along, struggling to carry both his own pack, all the cooking equipment and the small wolf was what made Arthur finally give in.

“Fine!” he snapped. “Percival, help him with the pack and Leon, carry the wretched animal for a while. If not, Merlin will be dragging his feet all the way and we’ll all end up waiting for him anyway.” He sharply turned his back and continued walking home but that didn’t keep him from catching Leon’s all too knowing smile.

“Not a word” he murmured as he passed his second-in-command.

 

Later that evening they all sat around the fire in Arthur’s chambers, feeling content after having enjoyed the comfort of a hot bath, a fine meal and a nice gift exchange. Merlin had managed to snatch some of Cook’s finest spices and the mulled wine they now drank was delicious. The small cub, that Merlin had suggested they call Gaeaf, had fallen asleep on the soft rug in front of the hearth with a belly full of milk and chicken and Merlin softly petted his back while gazing into the fire. Arthur hadn’t realized that he was looking at the manservant with a fond smile on his lips before Leon cleared his throat and suggested that they’d all retire for the night.

 

“What on earth are you doing, _Merlin_?” Arthur asked exasperated as the manservant didn’t leave when he was dismissed for the night but returned to the fire and stretched himself out on the rug.

“I don’t want him to feel lonely or get cold” Merlin explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“You can’t sleep on the floor, Merlin, it’s an utterly ridiculous idea.”

“I’m not leaving him, and your rooms are the warmest in the castle” Merlin said stubbornly.

“It’s a wolf, it has fur for goodness sake!” Arthur exclaimed but Merlin only pursed his lips and stayed put. Arthur fought the urge to scream and instead threw back the bed covers.

“All right then, get in here.” When Merlin only looked back at him in confusion, vaguely indicating himself and the wolf, Arthur rolled his eyes impatiently. “Yes, both the most useless idiot of a manservant and the wretched wolf cub gets to sleep in the royal bed tonight. Consider it a Christmas gift. Now get in here before I get cold.”

 

When both Merlin and the small wolf were comfortably tucked in Arthur snuffed out the candle on the bedside table and tried to steal back his favourite pillow that Merlin had filched, without success.

“Best Christmas ever” Merlin sleepily proclaimed as he curled up protectively around the small wolf. “Good night, Arthur.”

“Good night, Merlin.”  



End file.
